News
I am fully in support of electronic transmission of results – Michael Opeyemi Bamidele
Published
2 years agoon

The Chairman Southern Senators Forum and Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele has said that he never voted against electronic transmission of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Senator Bamidele explained further that he was one of the few Senators who ensured inclusion of electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill adding that he has remained consistent in his legislative work in the overriding public interest.
He carpeted some senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying they were grandstanding on the floor of the Senate to run a smear campaign against All Progressives Congress (APC) senators ahead of 2023 general elections.
Bamidele in a state issued gave insights into what transpired in the Senate and expressed concerns over misrepresentations by PDP.
In his words ,“In order that no one who knows me and what I have always stood for would be in doubt as to where I stand, I wish to place on record that I am fully in support of the passage of Section 52(3) of the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) powers to transmit election results electronically.
“ Let it be known also that I am specifically a member of the Senate Committee on INEC, which, in addition to electronic voting contained in Section 52 (2), recommended and ensured the inclusion of this electronic transmission clause 52 (3) in our Committee report submitted to the Senate for deliberation and passage. The said report, known as the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill carries both my name and signature.
“We did this in response to the popular desire of a cross section of Nigerians, including stakeholders who participated in our public hearing, as well as in recognition of and compliance with global best practice standard in electoral law and procedure.
“For the records, we had specifically recommended in our report that INEC might electronically transfer election results “where and when practicable.
“As it is the practice in parliamentary procedure, our Committee, which made this recommendation, is, like any other standing committee of the Senate, only a SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE once the entire Senate sits to consider the report and clause by clause passage of the proposed Bill.
“At this point, any Senator shall have the right and privilege to propose amendment to any of the clauses proposed in the sub-committee’s report being considered. This was exactly what happened on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Thursday, 15th July, 2021.
“The Distinguished Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, expressed concern that the words ‘electronic transmission of results where and when practicable’, as used in our report, were rather nebulous and could lead to arbitrary intervention and implementation.
intervention and implementation.
Read Also: Electoral Act amendment bans electronic transmission of results
“He also opined that the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), being the regulatory institution in charge of communication infrastructure across the country, should be made to work with INEC in determining the “where and when practicable” desire in our report to ensure that Voters in rural communities without access to communication network are not disenfranchised or the results of their elections compromised, relying on a report that only about 43 per cent of the Nigerian rural communities so far have access to communication network service.”
Opeyemi clarified that Senators only disagreed on which versions of the two drafts on electronic transmission of results should be approved.
He added: “This was the issue before the Senate. While every Senator present and voting was in support of electronic transmission of election results (which is a good development for Nigeria), there was a division between the two versions of the draft.
“Distinguished Senator Albert Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom Central Senatorial District, had proposed that the Senate should stick to the recommendation as originally proposed by our sub-committee, as a counter proposal to the amendment sponsored by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
“So, the Senate became divided between those who voted ‘.’YES’ to electronic transmission of results “where and when practicable” and those who voted ‘NO’ to what they described as nebulous version in support of an amendment they believed would ensure that INEC was guided by data and scientific realities.
“The voting and subsequent division was not about making a choice between supporting or rejecting electronic transmission of election results because we all agreed to it.”
He accused some PDP Senators of taking undue advantage of normal parliamentary procedure.
He said: “When the Senate Minority Leader called for a division, we all thought it was a normal parliamentary procedure to ensure accurate result of voting on the floor of parliament.
“But subsequent events and calculated attempts to manipulate facts and misinform the public since then have shown that there was more to it than met the eye as the PDP had taken it beyond their grandstanding on the floor of the Senate to working so hard to run a smear campaign against APC Senators as if their voting ‘no’ was in rejection of electronic transmission of results.
“Of course, 2023 is getting nearer and, expectedly, though unfortunately, PDP is becoming more restless, more aggressive and more determined to manipulate its way back into power. But I think we all should still be mindful of what we do when we are making laws for the people.”
Bamidele said he has been an advocate of electoral reforms as part of his agenda for contesting election to the Senate.
He said: “Electoral reforms constitute a major part of my agenda for contesting election to the Senate because I am convinced on the need to sanitize and stabilize our electoral process so as to stabilize our polity and, by implication, stabilize our economy.
“ I am happy my membership of the Senate Committee is affording me the opportunity to be actively involved in fundamental discussions, engagements, drafting and voting processes aimed at strengthening our democracy. Do I support that INEC be given powers to transmit election results electronically? Absolutely, yes. Did I canvass that position at my Committee level? YES.
“Did the Committee boldly introduce this clause into the draft Electoral Amendment Bill submitted to the Senate for consideration? YES, as it clearly carries my name and signature. Should I have allowed myself to be misguided by the manipulation of those who would not want additional input and reasonable and data driven amendments to our report on the floor of the Senate? NO.
“Am I driven by overriding public interest in my voting on the amendment to our sub-committee version of Section 52 (3) of the proposed Bill? YES.
“Guided by the same overriding public interest that made me endorse a recommendation of our same sub-committee (Senate Committee on INEC) to the same Senate rejecting a Presidential nomination into INEC as National Electoral Commissioner just less than forty eight hours before the voting on Electoral Bill.
“ It is also the same overriding public interest principle which has guided me in sponsoring several Bills and Motions aimed at achieving judicial reforms, social reforms, economic reforms, electoral reforms, youth and women development, deepening diaspora participation in our political process and far reaching constitutional amendment and reforms.”
He assured his supporters and admirers that he has not betrayed the trust reposed in him.
He said: “I am consistently who I am: Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, a product of the collective struggle of the Nigerian youth, students and Pro-Democracy movement. More than most people who grandstand on the floor of the Nigerian parliament today, I, most respectfully, submit that I have more Stakeholders to account to for my actions and inactions, in addition to my Constituents who massively and happily elected me to serve in this capacity.
“ Above all, I am accountable to God Almighty who has saved me to serve and I will faithfully serve Him and humanity to the best of my ability. That is my stand for those who are interested in knowing where I stand on these issues.
“Beyond this, I may not comment any further on this issue as the Senate, as an institution, has an officially appointed Spokesman who would continue to explain the rationale behind every decision of the Senate.
“But let the innocent public beware of political manipulation and let it be known that if an election was to be conducted today and INEC runs into logistic problems in its efforts to electronically transmit results in some remote parts of the country, these same PDP gladiators would be the first to shout that they were being rigged out.
“So, I believe it is important to make NCC submit to INEC for the specific purpose of assisting the electoral umpire in determining the availability of necessary infrastructure and technical capacity to do so long clearly before election.
“If we are wrong on this, let it be the people themselves that will tell us so and if the law is deemed to be invalid, let it be the Judiciary, as the watchdog of democracy, that will shut it down. Not the grandstanding, intimidation or smear campaign of a desperate and self-serving political opposition platform.”
Below is the Statement issued by The Chairman Southern Senators Forum and Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
Press Statement
VOTING ‘NO’: FAR FROM BEING A CHOICE IN REJECTION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION.
In order that no one who knows me and what I have always stood for would be in doubt as to where I stand, I wish to place on record that I am fully in support of the passage of Section 52( 3) of the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) powers to transmit election results electronically. Let it be known also that I am specifically a member of the Senate Committee on INEC, which, in addition to electronic voting contained in Section 52 (2), recommended and ensured the inclusion of this electronic transmission clause 52 (3) in our Committee report submitted to the Senate for deliberation and passage. The said report, known as the Electoral Act
(Amendment) Bill carries both my name and signature. We did this in response to the popular desire of a cross section of Nigerians, including Stakeholders who participated in our public hearing, as well as in recognition of and compliance with global best practice standard in electoral law and procedure.
For the records, we had specifically recommended in our report that INEC might electronically transfer election results “where and when practicable.”
As it is the practice in parliamentary procedure, our Committee, which made this recommendation, is, like any other standing committee of the Senate, only a SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE once the entire Senate sits to consider the report and clause by clause passage of the proposed Bill. At this point, any Senator shall have the right and privilege to propose amendment to any of the clauses proposed in the sub-committee’s report being considered. This was exactly what happened on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Thursday, 15th July, 2021.
The Distinguished Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, expressed concern that the words ‘electronic transmission of results where and when practicable’, as used in our report, were rather nebulous and could lead to arbitrary intervention and implementation. He also opined that the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), being the regulatory institution in charge of communication infrastructure across the country, should be made to work with INEC in determining the “where and when practicable” desire in our report to ensure that Voters in rural communities without access to communication network are not disenfranchised or the results of their elections compromised, relying on a report that only about 43 per cent of the Nigerian rural communities so far have access to communication network service.
This was the issue before the Senate. While every Senator present and voting was in support of electronic transmission of election results (which is a good development for Nigeria), there was a division between the two versions of the draft. Distinguished Senator Albert Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom Central Senatorial District, had proposed that the Senate should stick to the recommendation as originally proposed by our sub-committee, as a counter proposal to the amendment sponsored by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi. So, the Senate became divided between those who voted ‘.’YES’ to electronic transmission of results “where and when practicable” and those who voted ‘NO’ to what they described as nebulous version in support of an amendment they believed would ensure that INEC was guided by data and scientific realities. The voting and subsequent division was not about making a choice between supporting or rejecting electronic transmission of election results because we all agreed to it.
When the Senate Minority Leader called for a division, we all thought it was a normal parliamentary procedure to ensure accurate result of voting on the floor of parliament. But subsequent events and calculated attempts to manipulate facts and misinform the public since then have shown that there was more to it than met the eye as the PDP had taken it beyond their grandstanding on the floor of the Senate to working so hard to run a smear campaign against APC Senators as if their voting ‘NO’ was in rejection of electronic transmission of results.
Of course, 2023 is getting nearer and, expectedly, though unfortunately, PDP is becoming more restless, more aggressive and more determined to manipulate it’s way back into power. But I think we all should still be mindful of what we do when we are making laws for the people. Electoral reforms constitute a major part of my agenda for contesting election to the Senate because I am convinced on the need to sanitize and stabilise our electoral process so as to stabilise our polity and, by implication, stabilize our economy. I am happy my membership of the Senate Committee is affording me the opportunity to be actively involved in fundamental discussions, engagements, drafting and voting processes aimed at strengthening our democracy. Do I support that INEC be given powers to transmit election results electronically? Absolutely, YES. Did I canvass that position at my Committee level? YES. Did the Committee boldly introduce this clause into the draft Electoral Amendment Bill submitted to the Senate for consideration? YES, as it clearly carries my name and signature. Should I have allowed myself to be misguided by the manipulation of those who would not want additional input and reasonable and data driven amendments to our report on the floor of the Senate? NO. Am I driven by overriding public interest in my voting on the amendment to our sub-committee version of Section 52 (3) of the proposed Bill? YES. Guided by the same overriding public interest that made me endorse a recommendation of our same sub-committee (Senate Committee on INEC) to the same Senate rejecting a Presidential nomination into INEC as National Electoral Commissioner just less than forty eight hours before the voting on Electoral Bill. It is also the same overriding public interest principle which has guided me in sponsoring several Bills and Motions aimed at achieving judicial reforms, social reforms, economic reforms, electoral reforms, youth and women development, deepening diaspora participation in our political process and far reaching constitutional amendment and reforms. I am consistently who I am: Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, a product of the collective struggle of the Nigerian youth, students and Pro-Democracy movement. More than most people who grandstand on the floor of the Nigerian parliament today, I, most respectfully, submit that I have more Stakeholders to account to for my actions and inactions, in addition to my Constituents who massively and happily elected me to serve in this capacity. Above all, I am accountable to God Almighty who has saved me to serve and I will faithfully serve Him and humanity to the best of my ability. That is my stand for those who are interested in knowing where I stand on these issues. Beyond this, I may not comment any further on this issue as the Senate, as an institution, has an officially appointed Spokesman who would continue to explain the rationale behind every decision of the Senate. But let the innocent public beware of political manipulation and let it be known that if an election were to be conducted today and INEC runs into logistic problems in its efforts to electronically transmit results in some remote parts of the country, these same PDP gladiators would be the first to shout that they were being rigged out. So, I believe it is important to make NCC submit to INEC for the specific purpose of assisting the electoral umpire in determining the availability of necessary infrastructure and technical capacity to do so long clearly before election. If we are wrong on this, let it be the people themselves that will tell us so and if the law is deemed to be invalid, let it be the Judiciary, as the watchdog of democracy, that will shut it down. Not the grandstanding, intimidation or smear campaign of a desperate and self serving political opposition platform.
Signed
Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele
(Ekiti Central Senatorial District)
Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; and
Member, Senate Committee on INEC.
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Tinubu Presents His First Budget As President On Wednesday
Published
2 days agoon
November 27, 2023
President Bola Tinubu will present the 2024 budget to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
This is according to a memo dated November 27, 2023, signed by the federal legislature’s Secretary of Human Resources and Staff Development, Shuaibu Maina Birma, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly.
“I am directed to inform you that the 2024 Budget would be presented by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Joint Session of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday, 29th November, 2023,” it read.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council has approved a 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion.
This followed the review of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework earlier passed by the National Assembly which benchmarked the exchange rate at N700 to $1 and crude oil price at $73.96 cent per barrel.
Briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said it revised the MTEF and the Fiscal Policy to use an exchange rate of N750 to $1 and also a benchmark crude oil reference price of $77.96 per barrel.
According to Bagudu, the FEC also approved an Appropriation Bill for 2024 with an aggregate expenditure of N27.5 trillion, an increase of over N1.5 trillion from the previously estimated.
He also noted that using the old reference prices, the forecast revenue is now N18.2 trillion which is higher than the 2023 revenue, including that provided in the two supplementary budgets, in which the deficit is lower than that of 2023.
News
Senate Seeks Nigeria’s Inclusion In $147billion Global Bitumen Market
Published
6 days agoon
November 24, 2023
…passes Bitmen Development Commission Bill for second reading
The Senate Thursday made legislative move of including Nigeria in the $147billion global bitumen market with passage for second reading , a bill seeking for establishment of Bitumen Development Commission .
Nigeria as stated in the bill sponsored by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim ( APC Ondo South) , has quantum of 5.9trillion barrels ( 938billion m³) of global in – place Bitumen and heavy oil resources , second to Venezuela .
He specifically informed the Senate that more than 80% of the resources are found in Canada , United States of America , Venezuela and Nigeria .
But lamented that while other countries blessed with the Natural resources are exploiting it through required legislations or legal frameworks , Nigeria’ has no legal framework for such exploration with attendant untapped opportunities and huge market loss .
Therefore according to him, ” the objectives of the Bill includes: the need to develop a legal framework for the regulation of the Bitumen development in Nigeria; to prevent unconventional sources from taking advantage of research-enhanced applications over other competitors; and to lead innovation and resource-based strategy in the development of bitumen in Nigeria.
“The Bill will also ensure effective utilisation of over 38 billion reserve of bitumen in Nigeria; and to promote economic diversification policy of the Federal Government”.
He added that the Bill among other reasons, seeks to restrict the activities of the commission to its regulatory and cordinating functioons , specifically as it relates to the Develooment of Bitumen in Nigeria .
Ondo State alone according to him , has the highest deposit in Africa with an estimated value of $42billion which are aside from depisits in Ogun State , Edo , Lagos and Akwa- Ibom States .
” The proposed Bitumen Development Commission when established , would fastrack the development of Bitumen in Nigeria , make her a key player in the $147billion global market and create instant 12, 000 jobs for Nigerians .
” It would also help Government at various levels to put in place asphalted roads in various communities .
” Out of the 200, 000 kilometres of roads in Nigeria , only 20, 000 are asphalted even with imported Bitumen which is not good and being addressed with the proposed commission” he said .
Many of the Senators who contributed to debate on the bill , concurred with Jimoh Ibrahim’s submissions , making the Senate as put to voice votes by its President , Godswill Akpabio , passed it for second reading .
Akpabio who commended Senator Jimoh Ibrahim for sponsorship of the development – driven bill, mandated the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals to make further legislative inputs on it and report back in a month’s time .
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Barau Offsets Postgraduate Student’s Cancer Treatment Bills
Published
6 days agoon
November 24, 2023
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has paid the medical and surgery bills of Abdurrabah Idris Yahaya, a 30-year-old Kano State indigene and M.Sc. student who has been battling cancer.
Abdurrabah, a resident of Bankaura/S.Doka area of Ungogo Local Government of Kano State, who had been receiving treatment from home, went viral on social media, seeking assistance following medical doctors’ advice that he undergo surgery.
Worried by Abdurrabah’s situation and the urgency of the doctors’ advice, the Deputy Senate President sent a delegation with the sum of N1.45 million to offset his medical and surgery bills.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Muhammad Ibn Abdullahi, Senator Barau expressed concern over the health condition of the student who is a beneficiary of his Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme.
While urging the patient and his family to remain prayerful, as every illness is the will of Allah, Senator Barau prayed for the quick recovery of the student.
“The Deputy President of the Senate is deeply worried since he heard about the situation of this young, talented man’s health. As such, he sent us the sum of N1,450,000 as required by the doctors for his surgery.
“Strengthen your faith in Almighty God, Abdurrabah will be okay by the grace of Allah,” he said.
He reiterated the commitment of Senator Barau to supporting people in education, health, and other areas for the development of society irrespective of their constituents, region, or state.
While appreciating the Senator, the mother of the patient, Malama Halima Haruna, who could not hold back her tears, said she had no words other than prayers for the Senator.
Speaking on her behalf, Abdurrabah’s elder sister, Nafisa Idris Yahaya, said they had been pleading for support from people, but Senator Barau has, by his financial assistance, wiped away their tears.
“We received the sum of N1,450,000 from the Deputy President of the Senate. In the past, Senator Barau had paid for his scholarship for a master’s degree. Here he is again, assisting our family. We have been looking for where to get money for the surgery, but today is our happiest day. We appreciate him for this. May Almighty Allah reward him abundantly,” she said.
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